Most days if you dropped by my house unexpectedly, you might think that a library had exploded inside. There are books on the couch, the bed, the table, going up the stairs. Books are everywhere!
As a picture book author, I try to READ as many of the current picture books that I possibly can to help my craft. As a mom, I try to SHARE my love of books with my son. I love learning about his interests and seeing which books are his favorites and why.
Below is a list of our top five picture books read during the month of November. We hope you’ll check them out!
After the Fall: How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again
by Dan Santat
Humpty Dumpty has become synonymous with his great fall. Now he has a choice – let the fall be what defines him forever or face his fear and get back up again. This book cleverly and tenderly gives us a glimpse of what it means to be resilient and to persevere despite past failures and humiliation. There’s a satisfying and surprising twist at the end (displayed beautifully through the illustrations!) that reminds us that sometimes we have to put ourselves out there and take a risk to discover our true self.
Love Is
by Diane Adams
This is one of those sweet books that works on two levels . A little girl finds a lost duckling and begins to care for him until it becomes obvious that it’s time for him “to lift those wings, to travel on.” I challenge parents to read this book without becoming teary-eyed as they think about their own ducklings and all the seasons of love they’ve experienced and will experience together.
Even Monsters Need to Sleep
by Lisa Wheeler
My son is obsessed with all things monster, so it’s no surprise this book became a quick favorite. Chris Van Dusen’s adorable illustrations are filled with humorous details – a dragon with braces, three-legged aliens and a giant whose cloud-pounding tantrums cause rain storms. The catchy refrain and ending line “All little monsters need to sleep” inspired my own little monster to break out in song!
Doris the Bookasaurus
by Diana Murray
“Hooray for books! I love them so! I get a wagonload to go! ” The opening lines of this book describe my son and I and our book-borrowing habits to a T. My library card is regularly maxed out, and my son sees it as perfectly normal to check-out fifty or more books at a time. What I love about this book is the way it celebrates everything that a book can do – give you facts, make you laugh and take you on adventures! But while Doris is an avid reader, her brother’s don’t get it. They just want to play – until she finds the perfect book for them!
We are Brothers, We are Friends
by Alexandra Penfold
In full disclosure, I may be slightly partial to this book because I have two sons and nothing warms my heart more than to see the bond between them! Written from the older brother’s point of view, this book celebrates the responsibility that comes with being an older sibling instead of painting it in a negative light. It shows the joy that a child can experience from sharing his best toys and teaching his baby brother a new skill. The charming illustrations depict how even the simplest activities become adventures when shared together and how a good older brother is more than a brother – he’s a superhero and a friend.
